DURHAM, N.C. – The Duke men's basketball team will open the 2013-14 season in late September, but the general public will have its first opportunity to celebrate the Blue Devils Friday, Oct. 18 with the fifth annual Countdown to Craziness. Tickets, starting at $26, go on sale online (www.GoDuke.com/tickets) at 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17 with ticket office windows opening at Cameron Indoor Stadium Wednesday at 8:30 a.m.

Countdown to Craziness, one of the premier season-opening events in college basketball, features live student performances, highlight videos, sponsored promotions as well as the annual Blue-White game and dunk contest. The doors to Cameron open at 6:30 p.m. but fans are invited to come out early for live music, inflatable games and face painting in K'Ville.

Duke, consistently ranked among the top 5 teams in country in most preseason publications, returns 10 letterwinners, including six players with starting experience. Quinn Cook, a third team All-ACC selection a year ago, and Rasheed Sulaimon, a ACC All-Freshman team pick, are Duke’s top two returning scorers after averaging 11.7 and 11.6 points per game, respectively, in 2012-13.

The Blue Devil lineup also features a pair of highly-touted All-America candidates in Rodney Hood and Jabari Parker. Hood, a sophomore transfer from Mississippi State, averaged 10.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game while earning SEC All-Freshman team honors for the Bulldogs in 2011-12. Parker, rated No. 3 overall by the Recruiting Services Consensus Index in the class of 2013, led Simeon Career Academy to four straight state championships and was a two-time Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year and first team All-America selection by USA Today.

Duke will also play exhibition game against Bowie State (Oct. 26) and Drury (Nov. 2) before opening the season with a Friday, Nov. 8 home contest against Davidson.

Persons with disabilities who purchase tickets to Countdown to Craziness are urged to review the new policies and procedures regarding accessible seating available via www.goduke.com/gameday and the Men’s Basketball A-Z Game Day Guide.